1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device and an arrangement for filling an ink reservoir, especially a refill device and arrangement for filling ink reservoirs of inkjet systems and plotters or other automatic recording, writing, or drawing devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Refill devices for filling containers or ink reservoirs are known. For example, refill systems exist for filling ink reservoirs of inkjet systems and plotters and for other automatic recording, writing, or drawing devices. These refill systems make it possible to refill empty ink reservoirs of the write heads or printheads or of the recording pens with new ink or other recording media.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,223 an ink refill arrangement is known in which an adaptor is provided that is seated on a printhead. With the aid of the adaptor, on the one hand, the ink reservoir of the printhead, for which the suggested device and arrangement are to be used, can be opened and a refill container can be placed thereon, punctured and fastened. Upon opening or puncturing the container, the closure parts are released or destroyed so that the ink can then flow from the container into the reservoir. Air compensation in the reservoir to be filled, and via the reservoir also in the refill container, is realized by air channels which open into the ambient atmosphere. For filling the reservoir, the refill container must be arranged above or on top of the adaptor so that the ink can flow by gravity feed automatically from the container into the reservoir.
In the case of unfavorable filling positions, over filling, for example, when the refill container contains more ink than the reservoir can hold, or tipping over of the filling arrangement, it is possible that ink may leak from the system via the air channels, i.e., via the connection to the atmosphere, so that considerable soiling can result.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,610 and international application WO 98/55318 ink systems are disclosed which comprise containers and/or reservoirs with valves for releasing or receiving ink. When coupling the corresponding parts to one another, the valves are opened so that ink can flow. However, this requires very complex and very expensive couplings and valves so that these systems are relatively expensive. Moreover, only containers or system parts can be connected to one another whose coupling areas are designed for mutual coupling from the beginning and are accordingly matched to one another.
Furthermore, refill containers that are pressurized or refill devices or systems which operate with pressure are also in use. Such devices are, for example, disclosed and described in German patent documents DE 30 24 678 C2 and DE 30 41 277 C2. These known devices or systems have the disadvantage that an increased soiling risk for the entire system is present at the connectors or leaky locations because of the pressure in the system. Moreover, pressure or a suitable pressure medium must be generated when needed, or maintained at all times and supplied when needed, and must therefore be reliably sealed so that the entire system is also complicated and expensive.
With many of the newer conventional systems and devices a simple and clean refilling of ink reservoirs, especially directly on site and performed by the user, has not been possible without requiring a complex device or machine because a so-called closed system is required in most cases.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, clean, and inexpensive refill system with which two containers and/or reservoirs can be connected, for the purpose of an easy filling of an ink or other writing medium container and/or reservoir, on inkjet printers, plotters, or other automatic recording, writing, printing, or drawing devices, if possible by the user himself and/or by employing closed systems.
In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved according to a first embodiment in that the ink reservoir, the refill container, and the adaptor are separate individual parts, that the ink reservoir, the refill container, and the adaptor in the assembled state provide a hermetically closed system that has no connection to the atmosphere, that the refill container in the filling position is positioned vertically above the ink reservoir, and that in the filling position the filling process takes place pressureless or by gravity feed.
In accordance with the present invention, the object is achieved according to a second embodiment in that the adaptor has a housing and at least one reservoir connector and a container connector respectively for the refill container and the reservoirs to be connected, in that at least one filling channel and a valve stop are arranged, that seals are provided which in the filling position, respectively, during refilling, tightly seal the reservoir connecting piece or the reservoir connecting piece provided on a closure valve and the container connecting piece.
In accordance with the present invention, the object is achieved according to a third embodiment in that the adaptor is a separate individual part and that the refill container in the filling position is arranged substantially above the i fill level of the ink reservoir.
In the context of the invention, the term writing system is meant to include all types of automatic systems, as specified in an exemplary fashion supra, that apply ink to a surface for the purpose of creating letters, numbers, characters, images etc.